Automatic gas cut-off.



C. N. RETTIG.

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.22. 1913.

1,290,660. Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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C. N. RETTIG.

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF.

APPUCATION FILED AUG.22. ms.

1,290,660. Patented Jan. 7,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE N. RETTIG, OF LAWRENCEVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T RALEIGH CLARK AND ONE-THIRD TO BLAINE HUFFMAN, BOTH OF LAWRENCE- VILLE, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC G AS CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. '7, 1919.

To all whom it may concern;

, herein Be it known that I, CLARENCE N. RETTIG, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lawrenceville, in the county of Lawrence and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas Cut-Offs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in automatic gas cut-ofi's, designed to prevent gas from escaping into a room or rooms when due to the falling of the gas pressure or failing of the gas supply in the main leading to the burners, the latter when lighted will be extinguished, the improvements contemplated in the provision of means to prevent the escape of as when the pressure in the main is resume Afurther object of the invention is to rovide an improved automatic gas cut-ofl o the character mentioned, which can be associated with the gas supply pipe and is lnterposed between the supply pipe and the burners, so as to permit the supply of gas to the latter when there is a proper supply of gas under normal pressure, but which will automatically cut off the gas supply upon the pressure being resumed after having been temporarily cut off or having failed, thereby preventing accidents or asphyxiation, as

would occur were the gas allowed to escape freely into the room or rooms.

With'the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which like reference characters indicate the corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved automatic gas cut-oil". I

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof centrally or axially of the device, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved automatic gas cut-off comprises a cylinder formed of sections 10 and 11, the

7 The outer end of the section 10 is closed with the exception of a small aperturethrough a reduced extension 13 thereof, while the A opposite end of the section 11 has connection with a gas supply pipe 14 leading from the main.

When the sections 10 and 11 are connected through the medium of the flanges 12, a flexlble dlaphragm 15, preferably of leather, 1s held 'between said sections or flanges thereof and has extending therethrough, a plunger 16 located axially of the casing pro duced by said sections. This plunger in the form of an axial stem or rod, has the diaphragm anchored thereto through the medlum of a plate or flange 1-7 on one side and a nut 18 on the other side threaded on the plunger, so as to prevent the escape of gas projects from the extension 13 and a cap 21 is threaded externally on the extension so as to form a gastight joint and protect the end of the plunger.

Positioned between the plates 19 is a ball 22, and depending from the section 11 adjacent to the end wall thereof to which the gas pipe 14 is connected, is an extension or valve casing 23 provided with a ground seat 24 into which the ball is designed to drop, as will be hereinafter specified. The extension 23 has an apertured division wall 25 and above the same an internally threaded extension 26 for connection with a gas pipe 27 leading to the burners or various apparatus for consumption. The extension below theapertured division wall 25 has a cap 28 externally threaded thereon, the lower portion of the extension being designed to accommodate a finger, while the division wall has slidably mounted therein for vertical. movement a spindle 29 which projects to apoint below the valve seat 24.

There is also provided upon the plunger 16, an expansible coil spring 30, which normally tends to hold the diaphragm 15 toward the section 11, but in the operation of the deviee,'when the pressure is on the main and gas is discharged from the pressure under supply pipe into the casing, the diaphragm is moved to the right hand position indicated in Fig. 2, thereby compressing the spring 30 and holding the 'ball 22 between the plates 19' on the bottom portion of the casing section 11 beyond the valve seat 24 communicating with the bottom of the casing. In the event that the pressure should fail or decrease to such an extent as to extinguish the burners, the spring 3Ow1ll immediately act to shift the plates 19 to the left or on either side of the valve seat 24, thereby ermitting the ball-valve 22 to drop into said seat to prevent escape of gas lnto the pipe 27 from the supply pipe 14 and easing when the pressure has resumed. This Wlll prevent the escape of gas from the burners or other apparatus consumlng the same, and prevent the gas from escaping into a room or rooms and causing asphyxiation or other accidents.

However, in order to reset the apparatus,

the cap 21 is removed and the plunger 16v forced to a position over the valve seat 24 against the action of the gas pressure so that the plates 19 will straddle the valve seat and with the cap 28 removed the stem 29 1s elevated to raise the 'ball 22 between the plates 19 and while held in this position, the plunger 16 is released or pulled outwardly assisted by the gas pressure agalnst the action of the spring 30. The cap 28 is then replaced, the stem 29 dropping and being limited in its downward displacement, but

' permitting the passage .to the pipe 27 to be cleared and open whereby the gas will pass to the burners or other apparatus consuming the same, in the usual manner. It will also be observed that the upper end'of the stem is provided with a flange 31 for unseating the valve, and it will be obvious that when the valve is seated or closed, the gas cannot escape into the section 10 beyond the diaphragm and the greater the pressure, the harder the valve will be seated to positively cut off the supply of gas to the burners.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention may be had, and while I have shown and described the device as embodying a specific structure, I desire-that it be understood that such changes may be made in said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tovsecure' by Letters Patent, is:

1. In'an automatic 'cut-ofi, a horizontal casing, a supply pipe for fluid pressure conmeans normally holding the plunger inwardly displaced and adapted to permit opposite displacement thereof with the diaphragm and spaced members under the pressure of the fluid, said casing having a depending extension provided with a valve seat and a ball designed to be held between said spaced members andadapted to drop into said depending extension upon the pressure decreasing and permitting the diaphragm to be forced inwardly, said depend ing extension having an outlet leading therefrom, placed in communication with the supply through the casing when the ball is unseated and cut-ofi' when the ball is seated.

2. An automatic gas cut-offcomprising a sectional casing, a diaphragm therein, a

spring plunger associated with the dia- I phragm to hold the latter distended, said casing having connection with the gas supply main, a pair of spaced plates on the plunger, a ball positioned between said plates and held to one side by the action of the gas pressure against the diaphragm, an outlet extension having a valve seat, into which said valve is adapted to fall when the. pressure decreases, due to shifting of the plates through the medium of said spring plunger, and an outlet pipe leading from the extension to the burners.

3. An automatic gas cut-ofi' comprising a sectional casing, a diaphragm therein, a spring plunger associated with the diaphragm to hold the latter distended, said casing having connection with the gas supply main axially atone end, a pair of spaced plates on the plunger and spaced from the inner wall thereof, a ball positioned between said plunger againstthe action of the spring,

and means for unseating-the valve to position the same between said .lates.

4. An automatic gas cut-o comprising a sectional casing, a diaphragm therein, a spring plunger associated with the diaphragm to hold the latter distended, said casing having connection with the'gas supply main at one end, a pair of spaced plates on the plunger between the diaphragm and connection of the casing with the main, a ball positioned between said plates and held to one side by the action-of the gas pressure against the diaphragm, an outlet extension having a valve seat into which said ball is adapted to fall when the pressure decreases, due to shifting of the plates through the medium of said spring plunger, a supply pipe leading from said extension, means for shifting said plunger against themtion of the spring, said diaphragm being connected between said sections of the casing, said ball being held from being unseated when the pressure decreases or ceases, and a stem mounted in the extension depending from the casing below the valve seat for unseating said ball to position the same between said plates, whereby said ball may be moved to a position to one side of the valve seat.

5. An automatic gas cut-ofl' comprising a sectional casing, a diaphragm therein, a spring plunger associated with the diaphragm to hold the latter distended, said casing having connection with the gas supply main, a pair of spaced plates on the plunger, a and held to one side by the action of the gas pressure against the diaphragm, an outlet extension having a valve seat into which said ball is adapted to fall when the pressure decreases, due to shifting of the plates through the medium of said spring plunger, said extension having a supply pipe leading therefrom, means for shifting said plunger against the action of the spring, said diaphragm being connected between said sections of the casing, when said sections are secured together, said ball being held from being unseated when the pressure decreases or ceases, a cap for said spring plunger, said plates being smaller than the interior of the casing and adapted to be drawn to one side by movement of the plunger against the action of said spring, a vertical stem operating in the outlet extension and having a flange in its upper end engaging the ball to unseat the same by upward movement of the ball positioned between said plates stem, and a cap for the lower end of the ex- 5-5 tension, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

CLARENCE N. RETTIG. 

